USMNT World Cup Appeal Talk Surfaces After Controversial Panama Goal

The United States men's national team was the subject of discussion regarding a potential appeal against a "phantom goal" Panama scored to help them beat Costa Rica, while their own defeat to Trinidad and Tobago saw them miss out on 2018 World Cup qualification.

Roger Gonzalez of CBSSports.com reported on the talk of a U.S. appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which states the body "shall be entitled to hear appeals against final decisions passed by CONCACAF."

Gonzalez also dimmed the hopes of Americans hoping for any goals or results to be overturned, however, as U.S. Soccer press officer Michael Kammarman said: "As far as I know there is no recourse. Decisions of the referee are final."

Johan Venegas put Costa Rica 1-0 up at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City on Tuesday, but Gabriel Torres pulled the hosts level with a header from a corner that shouldn't have stood.

OneFootball.com provided footage of the phantom goal in question, where Torres' attempt to turn the ball into the net fell short despite the referee's decision to award an equaliser at the time.

Roman Torres went on to score the winner in the 88th minute and send Panama to their first World Cup as a result, while the USMNT finished fifth in the Hexagon and just a single point off the interconfederation play-off.

Had Panama drawn against Costa Rica instead, it would have left them on 11 points and meant they missed out on the World Cup instead of the Stars and Stripes.

Brian Sciaretta of the New York Times was unequivocal when asked whether the United States had any grounds upon which they could appeal:

Brian Sciaretta @BrianSciaretta

@PMacD82 No

The lack of goal-line technology in Panama could ultimately mean the landscape of the 2018 World Cup is changed drastically, with the Stars and Stripes missing out on their first finals since 1986 as a result.

That being said, manager Bruce Arena need look no further than his side's own failure against Trinidad and Tobago as a 2-1 loss left them short of the required points tally and on the wrong side of a historic result.